Kochi, Sep 17 (PTI) The NCB has arrested seven people, two of them foreign nationals, for their alleged involvement in an interstate cocaine trafficking network operating between Bengaluru and Keralam, officials said on Thursday.
The Narcotics Control Bureau Cochin Zonal Unit seized a total of 33.1 grams of cocaine, valued at Rs 16.55 lakh, during an operation named ‘Domino’, they said.
According to officials, the NCB had been monitoring the activities and links of people deported from the UAE in connection with drug-related offences, based on information about their alleged links to a drug trafficking network operating between Bengaluru and Keralam.
On September 10, the NCB intercepted Gurpreet Singh of Kapurthala in Punjab, Hamdan Ahammed of Beypore (North) in Kozhikode and Aflah P of Arakkinar in Kozhikode at Farook railway station and recovered 8.12 grams of cocaine from their possession, the agency said.
Preliminary interrogation revealed that the cocaine had been procured from Bengaluru, officials said.
Further interrogation led to the arrest of Sidharth Damor, who was intercepted while travelling from Thiruvananthapuram to Kozhikode on September 10.
NCB officials said Damor is a DJ associated with party events in Keralam and also owns a resort in Ooty, Tamil Nadu.
His interrogation led investigators to Arun Rajkumar, a Tamil Nadu native based in Bengaluru and employed in the IT sector. He was identified as a key facilitator in the network and subsequently arrested.
The NCB said Rajkumar was sourcing cocaine from certain foreign nationals and facilitating its supply to other peddlers and consumers.
Based on the questioning of Damor and Rajkumar, the agency identified two foreign nationals allegedly involved in the trafficking network.
Chizoba Helen Anthony alias Sonia, a Nigerian national who had entered India on a medical attendant visa and had allegedly overstayed for 10 years, was apprehended in Bengaluru on September 12 with 16 grams of cocaine, the NCB said.
Mufukare Vittalis Tadiswanashe, a Zimbabwean national who had entered India on a student visa and had allegedly overstayed for two years, was apprehended in Bengaluru on September 13 with 8.98 grams of cocaine, it said.
The NCB said questioning revealed that Damor, Hamdan Ahammed and Aflah had earlier been arrested in the UAE in connection with drug-related offences before being deported to India.
While in jail in the UAE, Aflah, Gurpreet and Damor came into close contact and subsequently attempted to establish a stronger drug trafficking network, according to the agency. An Investigation is underway to identify and disrupt the remaining links in the network and dismantle the trafficking chain, the NCB added. PTI TBA SSK
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.